Can and can-opener therefor.



No. 759,460. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. E. G. MOERSUH.

CAN AND CAN OPENER THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 11 l I /l I l WITNESSES: INVENTOR 4% E nst mmi-S :11,

No. 759,460. I PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. E. G. MO'ERSGH. CAN AND CAN OPENER THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1902. H0 MODEL. I 2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2- WITNESSES m: cams versus b0 Pnnmuwo" WASHINGTON o r UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

ERNST G. MOERSOH, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WINTON (l. GARRISON AND FREDERICK ARK, NEW JERSEY.

o. FRAENTZEL, or NEW- vCAN AND CAN-OPENER THEREFOR- SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,460, dated May 10, 1904. 7 Application filed December 30, 1902. Serial No. 137,094. (No model.) V

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST Ur. MoEnson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New J orsey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cans and Can-Openers Therefor; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in 10 the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention has reference generally to improvements in cans provided with sealed. or rimmed heads or ends, which when the can is to be opened are severed or separated from the body of the can by means of a suitable can opener or cutter. Usually these can-opening devices are in the form of a separate can-opener, which is apt to be mislaid or lost, or the heads or ends of the cans are sometimes connected with the bodies of the cans by means of a strip or band of metal, which is stripped off by twisting it around the shank of a key, said key also being separate from the can, and hence subject to loss or being mislaid, and therefore not on hand when wanted to 3 separate the head from the body of the can.

This invention therefore has for its primary object to provide a can having a can-opening device which is under normal conditions inseparably connected with aportion of the can,

3 5 the device being of such a simple and cheap construction that it can be attached to the can without any great additional cost to the manufacturer, and hence whenthe emptied can is discarded can also be thrown away without causing any great loss.

A further object of this invention is to provide the head or end of a can with an attached and novel form of cutting device which can be easily manipulated for separating the head or end of the can from its body and when not in use can be placed in such a manner in its inoperative position relative to the end or head or other portion of the can that the can-open ing device takes up but a trifling space, and the sealed cans, with their can-openingdevices 5 attached against loss or displacement, can be packed in boxes for shipment by the canner in the precise manner as is at present the custom.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time more particularly specified will be clearly evident from the following detailed description of this invention. 7 a

The invention therefore consists in the novel combined can and can-opening device eonnected therewith hereinafter more particularly set forth; and, furthermore, this invention consists in the various novel arrangements of devices and combinations of parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof, all of 5 which will be fully described in the following specification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim, which form a part of and areappended to the present specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the 7 accompanying drawings, in which--.

Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of the body of a can and its sealed or rimmed head or end provided with a can-opening device connected with the head of the can, the parts of the said can-opening device being arranged in their normal initial positions upon the can when the latter is ready for packing in a ship ping-case. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the various devices and parts illustrated in said Fig. 30 1, but representing the parts or members of the can-opening device in their operated positions prior to bringing a knife or cutter connected with the said device in its cuttingor severing relation with the head or end of the 5 can. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view. of the devices and their parts in their positions represented in said Fig. 1, and Fig. t is a similar view of the various devices and their partsas represented in said Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side 9 view of a portion of the body of a can and itscan-opening device with the cutter of the device in its relative position with the end of the can when it is about to be forcedthrough the said end of the can, and Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section of the said parts with the cutter of the can-opening device in its op- I purposes hereinafter more fully set forth. At

erative cutting position in the head or end of the can. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the can-opening device before it is attached in its operative position upon the end or head of the can, and Figs. 8 and 9 are two perspective views of two other and slightly-modified forms of can-opening devices to be used with cans in the manner of my present invention.

Similar characters of reference are employed in allof the said hereinabove-described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the body of any suitably-constructed can, and 2 is the head or either end of the said body, the said head or end being rimmed and secured to the marginal edge of the body 1 in the usual manner of the cans which are employed for the packing of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish,condensed milk, paints, and various other articles of merchandise.

The end or head 2 of the can is provided with a preferably centrally-disposed stud, rivet, or post, as 3, which is suitably connected with and secured to the said head or end 2. In the present case I have shown one manner of securing the said stud or post in position, a rivet being used which is passed through a hole or perforation in the said head or end 2, the head 4 of said rivet being placed against the inner face of the head or end 2 of the can and held in place by the use of solder, as5, which also serves the double purpose of hermetically sealing the head or end 2 of the can at this point. The shank of the said stud, rivet, or post extends a sufiicient distance above the outer face of the head or end 2 of I the can and is preferably provided with asec- 0nd head or a bur 6. The can-opening clevice proper, which is movably connected with this stud, rivet, or post 3, is preferably made in two pieces 7 and 8, which are pivotally connected-by means of a pin or rivet 9 or any other suitable means of connection which permits of a folded or closed relation of these two pieces or members 7 and 8' in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. Each piece or member 7 and 8 is usually made of sheet metal of sufiicient width and thickness to provide proper stiffness and the operativeness of the device whenin use, in the manner to be presentlydescribed. The plate-like member or piece 7 is provided at or near its one end with a longitudinally-extending slot or opening 10, into and through which the shank of the stud, rivet, or post 3 extends, with its head or bur 6 slightly arranged above the said elongated slot or opening 10 to permit of the said piece or member 7 to be raised or tilted at an angle above the outer face of the head or end 2, as indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and also to be capable of a sliding movement diametrically upon the said head or end of the can in the manner and for the opener from the can.

its opposite end the said plate-like piece or member 7 is made with a downwardly-extending cutter or knifell of any desired and suitable shape, the said cutter or knife being provided with a suitable piercing end or point 12, which can easily be forced into the head or end 2 to puncture the same prior to the cut ting or severing operation of the device. The said plate-like member or piece 7 is also made at its connection with the other piece or member 8 with a projection or lip 13, against which the edge 14 of the said other plate-like piece or member 8 is brought when said member or piece 8 has been turned from its folded or closed relation (represented in Figs. 1 and 3) to its straightened-out position. (Indicated in Figs. 2 and. 1 of the drawings.) When the two pieces or members 7 and 8 are in their closed or folded positions, (indicated in said Figs. 1 and 3,) then the said cutter or knife 11 will lie closely against the outer peripheral surface of the rim of thehead or end 2 of the can, as illustrated in said Fig. 1, and the combined cans and can-openers can be arranged in the packing-boxes for shipment without taking up any undue space and without any danger of loss or accidental displacement of the can The can opener is thereby at all times attached in its operative position upon the can, and being sold with the can is ready for immediate use. To use the can-opening device, the said pieces or members 7 and 8 are first made to assume the positions indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, and then by employing the free end of the piece or member 8 as a le fer the two straightened-out members 7 and 8 are sufficiently raised to permit of said members to be-slid diametrically upon the stud, rivet, or post 3 and to allow the piercing and or point 12 of the cutter or knife 11 to rest directly upon the outer surface of the head or end 2 of the can near its rim, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. A slight blow or pressure above the said cutter or knife 11 readily forces the same through the head or end 2 of the can, and by using the piece or member 8 as a handle and the stud, rivet, or post 3 as a pivot, drawing the said piece" or member 8 directly against the projection or lip 13 of the other piece or memher 7, the said cutter or knife 11 is made to travel through the head or end 2 and evenly and nicely cuts or severs said head or end 2 from its previously-closed relation with the body of the can.

The action and operation of the can-opening device is such that the head or end of the can can be cut entirely free from the body of the can, leaving a clean edge, and, furthermore, the cut or severed head or endv 2 being directly attached to the end of the piece or member 7 it cannot drop into the contents of the can, but is lifted from its severed position by means of the said can-opening device, as

will be clearly understood. In like manner the head or end 2 of the can may be but partially severed from the body of the can, employing its uncut portion asahinge and using the straightened-out members 7 and 8 as a handle or lift for bringing the partially-severed head or end 2 of the can in its raised or closed relation with the body of the can. In the form of can-opening device represented in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, the edge 14 of the said piece or member 8 is left perfectly straight, which necessitates, however, that the width of said piece or member 8 is made less than that of the piece or member 7 and also requires an eccentric pivotal connection of the two members 7 and 8, as will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 3, 1, and 7. If, however, the point of pivotal connection of the two members 7 and 8 shall be in alinement with the longitudinal central axis of the two pieces or members 7 and 8 or when it is desired to have both of the said pieces or members? and8 of the same widths, then it is desirable to provide the said piece or member 8 with a recessed or cut-away portion, as 15, with which the said projection or lip 13 registers when the two pieces or members 7 and 8 are brought into their opened or straightened-out relation, as clearly indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

During the manufacture of the cans while rimming the head or end 2, so as to thoroughly secure'it upon the body of the can, it may be desirable to have the can-opening device entirely removed from the head or end 2, so as not to interfere with the rimming process. In order that this may be accomplished and to finally connect the slotted end of the canopening device with the shank 01' the stud, rivet, or post 3, having the head or bur 6, the slot or opening 10 in the piece or member 7 may be provided with an enlarged open part, as 16, as indicated in Fig. 9 of the drawings, whereby by placing the can-opening device in its tilted position (indicated in Fig. 5) this enlarged open part 16 can be passed over the said head or bur 6 of the stud, rivet, or post 3 and the device then arranged in either of the positions indicated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. The said enlarged open part 16 is preferably made at one side only of the open ing or slot 10, so as to leave the opposite marginal edge of the slot or opening 10 perfectly straight, whereby said edge is brought directly beneath the overlapping edge of the head or bur 6 of the stud, rivet, or post 3 during the cutting operation of the device, and thus assists in retaining the device in its operative relation with the outer face of the said head or end 2 of the can. It will be evident that it is not essential that the said enlarged open part 16 is placed directly at the point of the slot or opening 10, as indicated in said Fig. 9; but said enlarged open part 16 may be located at any other suitable point of said slot or opening 10, and said opening 16 may be of any suitable configuration in outline. The said slot or opening 10 in the piece or member 7 of the can-opening device may be of any suitable length and maybe suitably located in said piece or member 7 the other member or piece 8 being of such length that the said mem bers may be made of certain standard lengths and still be applicable to cans of different diameters.

It may also be found in practice that it may be desirable to entirely dispense with the use of the piece or member 8, in which case the punching or forming of the rivet-holes in the members 7 and 8 and the use of the rivets 9 are done away with, and the projection or lip 13 or other suitable device may then be used as a means for forcing the cutter through the head or end 2 of the can to out or sever said head or end from its body. This greatly reduces the cost of construction of the can-opening device and permits of the attachment of the device to the cheaper grades of cans, such as are used by the canners for their cheaper grades of canned goods.

I am aware that changes may be made in the various arrangements and combinations of the devices and their parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof, without departing from the scope of my present invention. Hence I do not limit-my invention to the exact arrangements of the devices and the combinations of parts as described in the foregoing specilication and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, with an end of a can, of a pivot connected with the end of the can, a plate-like member slidably connected with said pivot and arranged to be lifted vertically above the end of the can, a cutter at the free end of said plate-like member, said cutter extending in a downward direction at right angles, or approximately so, from said member and lying normally against the cylindrical surface of said can, and said cutter being arranged to be forced through the end of the can when said plate-like member is lifted and slid upon the end of the can, and a second platelike member pivotally connected with said first-mentioned plate-like member so as to be folded upon said member, and said second member serving as a handle, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with the end of a can, of a pivot connected with said end of the can, and a canopening device comprising a pair of foldably-connected members, one of said members being provided with an elongated opening for pivotally and slidably arranging the said member over said pivot on the end of the can, and arranged to be lifted vertically above the end of the can, a cutter at the free end of said pivotally and slidabl y arranged member, said cutter extending in a downward direction at right angles, or approximately so, from said member and lying normally against the cylindrical surface of said can, and said cutter being arranged to be forced through the end of the can when said plate-like member is lifted and slid upon the end of the can, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with the end of a can, of a pivot connected with said end of the can, and a can-opening device comprising a pair of foldably-connected members, one of said members serving as a handle, and the other member being pivotally and slidably connected with the pivot on the end of the can and arranged to be lifted vertically above the end of the can, a stop on said pivoted member against which the handle member is brought when the members are in their opened relation, and a cutter at the free end of said pivoted member, said cutter extending in a downward direction at right angles, or approximately so, from said member and lying normally against the cylindrical surface of said can, and said cutter being arranged to be forced through the end of the can when said plate-like member is lifted and slid upon the end of the can, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of December, 1902.

ERNST e. MoERscH.

Witnesses:

FREDK. G. FRAENTZEL, GEO. D. RICHARDS. 

